Moonlight Read Online Free Page B

Aowyn’s arms. His peeps were frightened. Aowyn stroked his downy chest to calm him. The grown swans swam toward Aowyn. Aowyn covered her mouth. The brothers honked softly.
    Sister! Oh, Sister! they implored
    Aowyn winced as she heard their voices jumble in her head.
    What has become of us?
    Aowyn turned her back to them, burying her cheek against Stór’s down. The waters of An Cuan Áille lapped softly against the shore. The world held only darkness.
    What will we do?
    Aowyn opened her eyes to see a glimmer of light stretching before her. She turned slowly. A great, pure white moon ascended slowly. The swan brothers turned and cast their sight skyward. Moonlight filled An Cuan Áille, rippling over the water. Aowyn reached out as if she could take it from the sky and clasp it to her heart forever. Sulwen’s words filled her mind. “My love is like the moon—shining and eternal. And as long as it rises in the sky, you shall never be alone.”
    Aowyn’s breath caught. “Brothers. Behold our mother!”

CURSED
     
    Aowyn spent much of the following days with her swan brothers at An Cuan Áille. They were all too terrified to return home. Stór fared the worst, refusing to even go into the water. Eventually his brothers showed him that it was not so bad and even carried him on their backs at times. One day Eagnaí’s voice encouraged Aowyn to return to the castle, for who knew what terrible things Ciatlllait conjured now that the princes were out of the way. Aowyn resisted at first. She had made a vow to protect her brothers and her father. She steeled herself against her fear and began sleeping in her own room again, returning to the pond during the day. So long as the moon glowed in the sky, the princes were not alone.
    Ciatlllait closed in on the king. Aowyn aimed to comfort her father, rivaling Ciatlllait for his attention. Aodhagáin would often rest his arm on the throne beside him then focus at his hand as if expecting to still find Sulwen’s clasped within it. Aowyn’s heart ached for him. She wondered where he had been the night her brothers had been cursed. Why hadn’t he protected them? But Aodhagáin’s sorrow waxed so great that he could not see beyond it. Aowyn understood, yet understanding could not concede the morning she was summoned to the throne room and found Ciatlllait in Sulwen’s throne. Aodhagáin’s hand rested on Ciatlllait’s. Aowyn glanced between them with terror. Ciatlllait’s smile was wide and sly. Aowyn swallowed. Her heart raced.
    “Dear heart,” Aodhagáin announced, “we are going to be happy again.”
    Aowyn wanted to run from the room, but she clenched her fists and rooted herself to the spot. She glared at Ciatlllait.
    “You will have a mother again,” Aodhagáin continued.
    Aowyn glanced at her father. Had Ciatlllait cursed him as well? She shook her head. “My mother is dead.”
    The smile faded from Ciatlllait. She shifted in her seat nervously. She licked her lips. “Perhaps we could be friends.”
    Aowyn ground her thumb over her fisted fingers. “When are you to wed?”
    Aodhagáin leaned forward. “At Bealtaine.”
    Aowyn fought back the bile that boiled from her belly. How dare Ciatlllait take the king on a sacred day! A day meant for joy and renewal. A day that represented everything Aowyn now knew Ciatlllait did not.
    Aowyn looked away, for she could not stand the sight of that woman a minute longer. “May I be excused?”
    Aodhagáin bore puzzlement on his face. He leaned back in his chair and waved her on.
    Aowyn pivoted and marched forward. A safe distance down the hall, she collapsed against the wall, overwhelmed in a heap of tears. Maeb soon found her and hugged her close before helping her to her room to collect herself and ready for the day.
     
    Bealtaine?
    All of the swan brothers were just as shocked as Aowyn when she told them that afternoon. Aowyn was still getting a handle on who was who. All their voices tumbled together in horror. One of